Power Semiconductors Contributing in Energy Management
Power Semiconductors Contributing in Energy Management
[Purpose]
The use of energy-saving technologies and renewable energy has been progressing in order to prevent global warming. Many countries have already declared to completely abolish the sale of gasoline-powered vehicles over the next few decades; and they have been aggressively adopting electric vehicles (xEV) as a means of reducing CO2 among other rapidly growing initiatives to achieve decarbonization. In response to the need to improve efficiency and miniaturize power electronics devices to ensure the efficient and stable use of electrical energy, power semiconductors have been receiving much attention as the key devices capable of contributing greatly to this goal. At Fuji Electric, we have been developing and commercializing power semiconductors for a variety of different fields. In this special issue we’ll be introducing the latest Fuji Electric power semiconductor technologies and products.
[Preface] Power Devices and Peripheral Technologies
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FUNAKI, Tsuyoshi
Power Semiconductors: Current Status and Future Outlook
Energy consumption has been steadily increasing as populations and economies grow worldwide. Energy-saving technologies are being adopted, and the use of renewable energies such as solar power generation and wind power generation has been expanding in order to curb CO2 emissions and prevent global warming. Many countries have also been declaring their desire to completely abolish the sale of gasoline-powered vehicles over the next few decades, and they have been adopting electric vehicles (xEV) as a means of reducing CO2 among other rapidly growing initiatives to achieve decarbonization. Fuji Electric has been contributing to the creation of responsible and sustainable societies by developing and commercializing power semiconductors as key devices in the power electronics products used in achieving energy stability and optimization. This paper describes the current situation and outlook for power semiconductor technologies and products for which continued strong market growth is expected.
High Speed Hybrid Modules Combining High Speed IGBTs with SiC-SBDs
In recent years, there have been an increasing number of power converter applications that require power conversion in the high frequency region to achieve further compactness, weight savings and high efficiency for their power converters. Switching devices are thus greatly demanded for high speed and low loss. Fuji Electric has developed a high speed hybrid module combining IGBTs with SiC-SBDs, both of which operate with low loss and high speed in the high frequency region, significantly reducing switching loss. As a result, power dissipation during high-frequency inverter operation can be reduced by approximately 50% compared with existing products, thereby increasing expectations that it can be utilized with applications that require compactness, weight savings and high efficiency.
Line-Up of 2nd-Generation Small IPM with 650 V / 50 A, 75 A
In recent years, to deal with global environmental problems, there has been increasing demand for energy conservation to cope with greenhouse gas emission regulations and size reduction to save on resources. Fuji Electric developed a line-up of 2nd-generation Small-IPM with 650 V / 50 A and 75 A that integrate the power devices and control ICs to compose inverter circuits. The products adopting “X Series” IGBT chip technology reduce their power dissipation compared to conventional products and increase the maximum operating temperature from 125 °C to 150 °C by using a high heat-resistant packaging technology. These enhancements will contribute to saving energy, downsizing of power conversion systems and increasing their output current.
On-Chip Sensor Built-In IGBT Modules for Driving xEV Motors
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NAKAYAMA, Tomoya; NAKANO, Hayato; YOSHIDA, Soichi
In recent years, the switch to electric vehicles (xEV) has been increasing, and the xEVs are equipped with inverters for driving electric motors. Therefore, there has been growing demand for inverters and their component IGBT modules for xEVs. Fuji Electric has developed an IGBT module that integrates an on-chip sensor for driving motors of xEVs. The on-chip sensor is equipped with temperature and current sensors. The temperature sensor directly monitors the temperature of the IGBT chip to improve the permissible current of the module. The low-loss current sensor monitors large current and enables protective operation when there is an overcurrent caused by short circuit or other accidents.
3.3-kV All-SiC Module with Trench-Gate MOSFETs for Electric Distribution Equipment
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KANAI, Naoyuki; HOYA, Masashi; TSUJI, Takashi
Fuji Electric has participated in the project of the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) and is developing electric distribution equipment and control systems to stabilize the power grid when the massive introduction of distributed energy sources, such as photovoltaic power generation. In this regard, we have developed a 3.3-kV All-SiC module equipped with SiC trench-gate MOSFETs for electric distribution equipment. The module reduces inverter loss by 60% and achieves higher power density compared with modules equipped with conventional SiC planar-gate MOSFETs.
SiC-MOSFET with High Threshold Voltage and Low On-Resistance Using Halo Structure
Fuji Electric has developed a trench gate MOSFET that uses silicon carbide (SiC) to reduce power dissipation of power semiconductor devices. Although shortening the MOSFET channel length can further reduce power dissipation, this makes it necessary to suppress the drop in the threshold voltage and breakdown voltage due to the shortchannel effect. The simulations and prototype for a vertical trench gate SiC-MOSFET with a halo structure demonstrated the suppression of the short-channel effect. We were thereby able to reduce on-resistance while maintaining a high threshold voltage and breakdown voltage.
Estimation of Power Losses, Temperatures and Power Cycle Lifetime for IGBT Modules by Using IGBT Simulator
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TAKAKU, Taku; YUKAWA, Fumio; IKENOUCHI, Shun
Fuji Electric has released its IGBT simulator free of charge on the website. It simulates the power dissipation and the junction temperature of Fuji Electric IGBT modules that are incorporated into power electronics systems, such as inverters. It supports 3-level circuits and many of the widely used pulse width modulation methods and provides the calculation of the dependence of the power loss on the junction temperature, allowing users to run more realistic simulations. Providing the power loss and the temperature rise transitions of IGBT modules helps users select modules and estimate their lifetime at the initial stages of design.
“FA1B00 Series” 4th-Generation Critical Conduction Mode, Power Factor Correction Control ICs
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ENDO, Yuta; YAGUCHI, Yukihiro; HIASA, Nobuyuki
Fuji Electric has developed the “FA1B00 Series” 4th-generation critical conduction mode, power factor correction control ICs to meet the market demand for power supplies with low power consumption and low cost. We have newly developed an input current trapezoidal wave control method to suppress output voltage ripple while reducing power source harmonic current. This method facilitates the miniaturization of the output capacitor of a PFC circuit. Furthermore, by inheriting the light-load bottom-skip function and standby mode burst function from the previous model, the “FA1B00 Series” helps reduce the power consumption and cost of power supplies.
“XS Series” 650-V Discrete IGBTs
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HARA, Yukihito; KATO, Yoshiharu; TAMURA, Takahiro
Fuji Electric has developed and launched the “XS Series” 650-V discrete IGBTs as a product line-up for UPSs and photovoltaic power generation PCSs that operate at a switching frequency of approximately 20 kHz. These devices are improved in a trade-off between conduction loss and switching loss. The series has a rating of 650 V/30 to 75 A, and its conduction loss and switching loss are lower than previous products by 20% or more. When Incorporated in a UPS, the device showed higher efficiency than previous products for all load ranges, increasing by up to 0.12 points. It also showed that the rise in device case temperature becomes smaller.
6.5th-Generation Automotive High-Pressure Sensors
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SATO, Eisuke; UENO, Fumiya; UZAWA, Ryohei
To respond to environmental regulations and fuel consumption improvement in recent years, high-precision control technology is being applied to internal combustion engines, namely gasoline and diesel engines, and high-density mounting is being adopted to achieve downsizing. As a result, automotive high-pressure sensors are required to achieve high precision and a high guaranteed operating temperature. To meet these needs, Fuji Electric has developed a 6.5th-generation high-pressure sensor for automotive applications. The product is characterized by its integration of a metal based package that ensures a high breakdown voltage with the sensor chip that guarantees operation and precision even under high temperature and pressure. The sensor has achieved miniaturization and guarantees operation at 150 °C using miniaturization technology and revised circuit layout.
Regular Paper
“UPS7000HX Series” and “UPS6000DX Series,” Using Lithium-Ion Batteries
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YASUMOTO, Koji; KITANO, Akihiro; GOTO, Mizuho
There has been increasing demand for large-capacity uninterruptible power systems (UPSs) for data centers and other facilities that require a stable supply of power. Fuji Electric has developed a large-capacity UPS system that uses lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). The system employs highly reliable LIBs manufacturing by Samsung SDI and comes equipped with a battery management system that ensures the safe operation. The LIBs, having a life expectancy of 15 years, will be used without replacement during the entire life of the UPS main body. The installation space of the LIB is only 53% that of a lead-acid battery, achieving space saving.
New Products
“XS Series” 650-V Discrete IGBTs
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HARA, Yukihito
Global energy demand is increasing steadily and further energy conservation is called for.
In this situation, there is a strong demand for switching devices with a lower loss in order to improve the efficiency of uninterruptible power systems (UPSs) for equipment requiring high-quality power and power conditioning systems (PCSs) that convert direct current power generated by photovoltaic systems into alternating-current power.
Fuji Electric has developed and launched the “XS Series” 650-V discrete IGBTs as a product line that improves the on-state voltage and switching loss trade-off characteristic to improve the efficiency of UPSs and PCSs.
Recently, as a solution to the energy resource depletion and global warming issues, expectations are rising for power electronics technology that contributes to the efficient use of energy. Above all, demand is increasing for insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) modules, which are major components of power conversion equipment used in a wide range of fields including the industrial, consumer, automobile and renewable energy ones. A lowered power dissipation and improved reliability are strongly required of these IGBT modules. To make equipment smaller, there is also high demand for increasing the output current while maintaining the same package size as conventional products. However, increasing the output current of an IGBT module causes the operation temperature of IGBT and free wheeling diode (FWD) to rise, possibly leading to lower reliability. Accordingly, it is essential to have technological innovation for achieving both high output and high reliability.
Fuji Electric has developed the 7th-generation “X Series” semiconductor chips and packages to commercialize high-reliability IGBT modules. For this series, Fuji Electric has newly developed a reverse-conducting IGBT (RC-IGBT).
High Speed Hybrid Modules Combining High Speed IGBTs with SIC-SBDs
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USUI, Ryosuke; KATO, Yoshiharu
In recent years, there has been greater demand to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases such as CO2 as a measure to suppress global warming. In order to achieve this, it has become necessary to promote a higher degree of energy savings in a variety of fields. Innovation of components such as power devices, circuits, and control mechanisms is required to advance energy savings in power conversion equipment typified by inverters, and it has become an important goal to achieve even less power dissipation in power devices. Moreover, in order to realize further miniaturization and better efficiency in power conversion equipment, an increasing number of applications are performing power conversion at high frequencies, and there is greater demand for high-speed low-loss switching. It is against this background that Fuji Electric has developed and commercialized high-speed hybrid modules that incorporate a high-speed insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBT) that can operate at a switching speed of 20 kHz or higher and Schottky barrier diodes (SiC-SBD) into a conventional package.
A long standing customer that tested several competitors’ products over a decade ago, chose a Fuji Electric product that not only meets their application criteria, but exceeded their expectations regarding: performance, quality and reliability for their commercial mixer product lines.
As their standard of choice, our AC Drives continue to surpass expectations as our product models offer the versatility and flexibility required for any demanding environment. Fuji Electric AC Drives prove to be technically superior compared to other products offered in the market. Our compact design, 3-year warranty, and exceptional torque features is ideal for many recipe requirements that make Fuji Electric their sole supplier for all of their AC drives needs.
Our products are designed to operate in 50 deg C ambient under full load conditions with no derating factor. The VFDs also maintains a UL rating under single phase power input. Fuji Electric’s ECO-DY model has a standard feature of a simultaneous control of Pump pressure and water table level control. This feature will control a pump’s output pressure and automatically switch to water table level control when the level sensor goes below an adjustable threshold. This prevents costly dry run damage to the submersible pump.
Fuji Electric VFDs are designed to handle harsh outdoor conditions needed for Agriculture Irrigation control. For this case, the ECO-DY model achieves the control by switching between two PID loops. Throughout this process, the first loop, PID1, will control the output pipe pressure. The second loop, PID2, controls the water table level. There is a sensor threshold and time that controls the switching between PID1 or PID2. One of the PID sensors will need to be a 0-10v signal and the second will need to be a 4-20ma input.
Fuji Electric VFDs are a tough, rugged and designed to operate in the harsh conditions of the oil field. Our VFDs are used in thousands of Oil field pump jack applications. For this Oil Field application, they run in 50 deg C ambient at full power without derating.
In this application, our VFDs provided the standard capability to overcome the regeneration portion of the pump jack cycle without needing braking resistors. Our VFD accurately senses the regenerative energy created by the beam pump and precisely increases the speed to eliminate the need for a braking resistor.
Peter Pugger is the world’s leading manufacturer of mixing extruders (pugmills). With the growing demand to mix and extrude new and innovative products, Peter Pugger machines require versatility and efficiency as it relates to motor control, speed control, soft start/stop and remote capability. The utilization of Fuji Electric's FRENIC-Mini and FRENIC-ACE drives has allowed their systems to maintain product quality, durability and performance. The durability of our Fuji Electric drives and the three-year warranty has established our drives as the drive of choice for all of our units. With thousands of machines worldwide, Fuji Electric’s dependability has played a key role in their success.
H2O Technologies is a high quality, highly innovative OEM Control Panels fabricator that specializes in the engineering, designing and building of Bypass Control Panels for hydraulic pump related industries that construct fountains, waterfalls and municipal pools. Fuji Electric’s FRENIC -Eco and EcoPAK Bypass Panels quickly became H2OTechnologies’ exclusive offering due to its high quality, product adaptability, and superb technical & support staff. “We have discovered a hidden gem working with Fuji Electric; it’s their ability to take us back to better days, when there was less bureaucracy, where management decisions and issues resolution were local and only a phone call away. That is a “game-changer” that sets them far apart from almost every other large organization”, exclaims Greg Sills, PPX Central’s President & CEO.
Fuji Regenerative Blowers are used to provide Air agitation for Plating, Cleaning and Rinse Tanks. They can provide high amounts of air at low pressures. They offer the advantages of clean, oil-free air that does not deliver any contaminants to foul or spoil the tank fluid. Fuji Regenerative Blowers offer a form of agitation without any moving parts in the bath. Blowers require no lubrication and that means no contaminated chemical baths. Fuji Blowers are dependable and reliable devices with no wearing, rubbing or sliding components.
Fuji Electric Power Semiconductors are used in Wind Turbines of major Wind Turbine Manufacturers. The PrimePACK™ 3+ improves power conversion efficiency to reduce power loss and increase output power. Amid the beautiful and expansive natural landscape of northern Denmark, you can see lines of wind turbines. These wind turbines use our large-capacity IGBT module PrimePACK™ 3+. In this wind power generation, the force of wind spins the blades of the wind turbine, which in turn rotates the generator to generate electricity. In order to feed this electricity into transmission lines, the voltage and frequency must be changed, and that power conversion is where our power semiconductors play a vital role.
Fuji Electric VFDs are designed to handle harsh outdoor conditions needed to run Electric Submersible pumps (ESPs) in the Oil Field. They operate in 50 deg C ambient under full load conditions with no derating factor. VFDs also maintain a UL rating under single phase power input.
For ESPs, Fuji Electric’s FRENIC-Mega is packaged in a Nema 3R enclosure along with a sine wave filter that feeds a step up transformer to create the high voltage needed for the special ESP motor. The ESP motor is sometimes thousands of feet down in the well bore. Some ESP motors are induction style while others are permanent magnet style. The Fuji Electric FRENIC-Mega works on both types of ESPs. Fuji Electric's VFD has a special feature that allows motor base voltage at speed to be adjusted while monitoring current for maximum operating efficiency thus saving valuable electrical power operation costs.
Significant levels of refrigerants and heating are needed to slow down spoilage and maintain preharvest freshness and flavor of ripe fruit and vegetables. Fuji Electric Variable Frequency Drives (VFD) make it possible to quickly provide the necessary cooling or heating to maintain a uniform temperature, humidity, air-circulation or fresh air requirements in cold storage while at the same time the energy consumption is reduced to a minimum. In standard system designs, electric motors are intended to operate at a fixed speed. This speed is determined by the frequency of the power supply and the motor design (number of poles).
The shaft load on the motor is determined by the product of shaft speed and torque. With a fixed speed, motor power is determined by the torque of the load. With a change in speed the motor load will not only benefit from the speed reduction, but also any reduction in torque with speed. Two types of motor load exist; constant torque and variable torque.
VFDs give better control and more efficiency for compressors, fans and pumps:
VFD speed control will reduce the power penalty associated with slide valve, poppet valve or throttling capacity control. On compressors with no capacity control speed control will eliminate other poor control strategies.
VFD speed control provides dramatic fan power reductions at reduced speed. This also translates into reduced motor heat loads in refrigerated spaces.
VFD speed control provides dramatic fan power saving relative to fan cycling
For maintenance of AC Drives, it is best to institute a schedule of routine maintenance which includes cleaning of the drives and their heatsinks. This prevents overheating and also prevents other debris from being lodged inside the drive!
Scheduling a Freight Pick Up
A customer was given incorrect information for scheduling a freight pick up and the terms for shipping the item. The shipment was delayed and stuck in a freight branch location. This led our team to coordinate communications between several stakeholders (Customer, Logistics Company, End User, and the freight company shipping the order). Information had to be confirmed for accuracy and ease of understanding to avoid confusion or delays. Our team at Fuji Electric was able to keep the customer informed of status regularly and get the info needed in order to resolve the issue and get the order completed.
Meeting Production Schedules
Due to material challenges, in order to meet our customer's production schedule, our team members participate in weekly meetings, provide status and shipping updates, and facilitate direct shipments from our factories. It requires daily attention and time management skills to keep track of multiple avenues to achieve delivery. However, there is a great sense of satisfaction knowing we are part of a team doing everything possible to meet their expectations!
Critical Need of Our Parts
An auto supplier was in critical need of parts or they go line down. Our team called members from Fuji Electric Japan's shipping team and got them to move an ocean orders to air drop ship to customer. No lost downtime!
Did you also know Fuji Electric Corp. of America (FECOA) was established in 1970? Fuji Electric Corp. of America is happy to celebrate over 50 years in the United States! Fuji Electric now aims to become a leading-edge company in “energy and the environment” by building upon our core platform of five technology fields which unlock the potential of electricity—energy, industrial systems, social systems, power electronics, and electronic devices.
Industrial Laundry Solutions
Fuji Electric’s FRENIC-Ace model, Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs) are commonly used in commercial laundry equipment for their ability to control the speed of electric motors. In the context of commercial laundry, VFDs are often employed in various machines and systems to enhance efficiency, reduce energy consumption, and provide better control over operations. Here are some ways VFDs are utilized in commercial laundry equipment.
Motor Control: Can regulate the speed of electric motors in washers, dryers, extractors, and other laundry equipment. By adjusting the motor speed according to the load and operational requirements, VFDs help optimize energy consumption and extend the lifespan of the equipment.
Energy Efficiency: Enable soft starts and stops, reducing the energy demand during motor acceleration. They also allow for precise control of motor speed, preventing unnecessary energy consumption when full speed is not required. This contributes to energy savings and overall operational efficiency.
Customized Washing Cycles: In laundry equipment, different fabrics and loads may require varying levels of agitation, spin speed, or drying time. VFDs provide the flexibility to customize washing cycles by adjusting motor speeds, ensuring that each load is treated appropriately.
Load Balancing: Used to balance loads in commercial laundry systems. In situations where multiple machines are connected to a common power supply, VFDs help distribute the load evenly, preventing overloads and optimizing the use of available power.
Maintenance Benefits: By controlling motor speed and providing real-time performance data, VFDs can contribute to predictive maintenance strategies. Monitoring motor parameters allows for early detection of issues, reducing downtime and preventing costly equipment failures.
Environmental Compliance: The ability of VFDs to control motor speed based on demand aligns with energy efficiency requirements and environmental regulations. Using VFDs in commercial laundry equipment helps businesses meet sustainability goals and adhere to energy efficiency standards.
In summary, Variable Frequency Drives play a crucial role in enhancing the performance, energy efficiency, and operational flexibility of commercial laundry equipment. They contribute to cost savings, reduce environmental impact, and improve the overall reliability of laundry systems.